Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Opinions please(not that I'm gonna listen anyway)

Imagine you were looking to buy a plane. Let's say you found this plane:

1965 150
150hp conversion
Taildragger conversion
STOL Kit installed with fences and drooped leading edge cuffs
Manual flaps
Straight tail
Re-arched landing gear that sat taller
Shorter prop so there was no RPM band restriction

Interior 4, Exterior 2-4, TTAF 14000, TTeng 2000/TSMOH 2000

One radio, say an MX300, and a transponder.

Whaddiya think. Sound like a ball of fun or what? This may or may not be fictitious, I'll never tell anyway, so don't ask.

My opinion has already been formed, so you're not likely to sway my thinking (supposing this plane exists), and it's more of a fantasy question anyway.

I'm replacing a 1979 C-152, nearly completely stock. Insurance money burning a hole in my pocket.

Opinions, please.

Well, it sounds like a diamond in the rough. We all know that TT means nothing if the plane wasn't abused, and since you know what the heck you are doing (I assume so! ) it would be a great idea. Of course it will need polishing up, but that's part of the fun! My .02 is a go!

There's a derelict C-150 L at my airport, he was asking $20k for it before it rotted. Needs corrosion help, but not major corrosion, just widespread minor corrosion. Engine probably needs rebuild. Interior is a 3, exterior is a 2. Hasn't flow in 5 years, sitting on flats. I am thinking a project here, and possibly help getting an A&P license from the experience. Any opinions on that?

It'll need an overhaul, and the high-time airframe warrants a close inspection. But, you're an A&P/IA, so that's not a problem. In your skilled piloting hands, it'll be a fun toy. But it won't be suitable as a leaseback to a flight school.

I seem to recall in one of your previous posts that you lamented the lack of time for yourself due to running your own business.

You certainly have the skills and resources to make this one a dandy, but do you have the time?

To add to this, you won't be able to lease this one to an FBO, so it cannot pay its own way like the 152. More money out of your pocket, less maintenance due to normal operation (no unusual renter wear and tear, and less hours per year) but as Kirk mentioned, you have to be sure of having enough time.

I bought a commerical lawnmower as a fix it up and sell it project. Not big dollars here, but it still nickels and dimes me and now I'm wishing I could sandblast the deck underside and all welds and reweld some areas that are cracked. It hasn't turned into the "can'o worms", least not yet, but now I'm debating to just put it together and sell it to a sucker, or keep fixing it and take a loss, or ???

Try that with a 150 fixer upper, do the wing spars have corrosion at the wood blocks that position the fuel tank forward and aft?

How 'bout cracks at the forward attach points for the horz stab? Its a taildragger, so its had lots of pushing and shoving on the horz stab, and in its previous life as a tri-gear, probably lots of students pushing down and such too.

Did the firewall have the doublers added to it at the engine mount points? That year would not have come with them, and while there is no longer a nosegear to load and crack the firewall and structure, with that kind of time, it probably did in the past, and you certainly need them with the 150 engine.

If it does, the wings are trash, or lots of work to splice the spars to repair them, if its a high time fixer upper that has sat out alot, whacha gonna do? take a chance or take a look (if the owner will let you).

Food for thought

Charles

I would definitely do a thorough pre-buy. Might even stage it over a couple of visits. This plane has a current annual, and has for at least the past ten years. It's flown nearly every day.

I really don't want to jinx myself or get my hopes up that it is something it isn't, but I owe it to myself to investigate the matter further.

Cautious optimism with wallet defending pessimism. Do people usually put down earnest money prior to the prebuy? It's refund is guaranteed if there are unsatisfactory issues?

We'll see.

Hey, buy one of my dad's two 150's! 1968 and 1969!

The wife's pregnant again and we need to move these to get a 172 to fit the kids into! No more kids after this one, or I'll have to talk dad into a Cessna 206!

Go with a 208 Jet fuel is cheaper!

Gary,
By what you've posted and by what ads I've seen, I'd figure that plane would be in the 11,000 to 14,000 range on pricing. Plenty of room left for engine overhauls, paint and interior and still stay below 30,000.
Personally, the 14,000TT would make me hesitate.... Resale value could raise it's ugly head.

But, like they say...opinions are like.........

Bengie

Yes, unless they're solicited. Then it's okay

That's why I'm posting it here. Most folks restrain their opinions until asked. Thanks for yours, Bengie.